


when I watch the world burn

by Roscoe Shaw (spacepirate)



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Nightmares, bonding over arm bandages, no beta we die like men, slight spoilers for c2 ep71, this is just self indulgent gen fic because i love the empire kids, trent is only mentioned tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 12:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20007946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacepirate/pseuds/Roscoe%20Shaw
Summary: Caleb has a nightmare.  Beau provides comfort.





	when I watch the world burn

Caleb was thrown to his knees, the magical chains binding his hands behind his back clinking on the rough cement of the dungeon floor.

“Well, well. Bren Aldric Ermendrud,” a familiar voice simpered from somewhere in front of him. Caleb didn’t look. He didn’t need to. “The prodigal son returns.” Caleb heard the swishing of robes, expensive silk hems coming into view.

“Ah, but you use a different name. Caleb Widogast, isn’t it?” The archmage before him said something under his breath and pain electrified Caleb on the ground. He slumped onto the floor even more, blood trickling from his nose. He saw for the first time, in so many years on the run, Trent Ikithon.

Caleb didn’t, couldn’t meet the eyes of the man who tricked him into murdering his parents. He bit his lip until he tasted blood. Long, agonizing moments passed before Ikithon spoke.

“Finally learned to keep your mouth shut. We’ll see how long that lasts.” A snap of his fingers and Caleb was dragged to his feet yet again. He met Trent’s eyes, and spat in his face.

The archmage’s eye twitched. “You remember the crystals? I _will_ make you powerful again, Bren. You had such potential as a tool for the Empire. And once you come back to your right mind, Bren, you’ll be strong again. Don’t you realize how your friends, these Mighty Nein as they’re called, have been using you?”

Caleb cried out. He knew where this was going, he had been here before. The images entered his mind unbidden-

_Fjord with the falchion at his throat in Zadash, Nott telling him that he should be strong enough to kill her and bring her back-_

His mind went blank. Of course. Why hadn’t he seen it before?

-

A hand on his shoulder. “Caleb.”

He thrashed, growling, almost foaming at the mouth. “Let go of me!”

And then, the dungeon fell away as his eyes opened. Beau was kneeling at the side of his bedroll, her hand resting on her shoulder. He was sitting upright, his hands gathering arcane energy and levelled at Beauregard’s face. “Easy, easy,” Beau whispered. She felt like she was calming a skittish horse, except this horse was a very powerful, traumatized wizard.

Caleb shook his head and dispelled the energy. His chest was heaving and he could feel sweat on his brow. Beau was looking at him expectantly.  
“So are you gonna tell me what the fuck that was?” Beau said. She dropped from her crouch into a sitting position, leaning against the wall.

“ _Ja._ Um. A nightmare, you know, about my past. That we have talked about before.”

Beau cocked an eyebrow. “You were yelling like something hurt.” She reached instinctively for her wineskin before remembering she’d given the last of it to Nott. Caleb reached into the depths of his coat and pulled out a flask and handed it wordlessly to Beau.

She accepted it and took a quick drink before handing it back to Caleb. Beau estimated he drank whatever was left. Caleb winced slightly at the burning of the alcohol down his throat.

“Do you, y’know, want to talk about it?” Beau asked. Caleb wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and put the empty flask back into his coat.

“Perhaps in a moment. I am still trying to process,” Caleb said, “It was, as they say, a doozy.” He pulled his pack onto his lap, digging out his bandages. The scars on his arms were an all too real sight right now. He fumbled with them slightly, Beau’s dark eyes watching his every move.

Beau stuck out a hand, showing her own wraps. “Now, Caleb. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m _pret-ty_ good at doing those. Want some help?”

A few more half-hearted attempts. Caleb set down the bandages. “Some help might be nice, _ja._ ” He extended an arm to Beau, and she quickly set to work with practiced motions.

She tried to be as careful as she could, doing her best to avoid touching Caleb’s scars, continuing in silence until, “Do they… ever hurt?”

“No, not in a long time. Mostly they itch. And look ugly,” Caleb said as she finished off the first wrap. “That is what the bandages are for.” He flexed his fingers. Beau’s style of wrapping was different than how he had ever done it, with bits of bandage between his fingers. She’d extended it farther up his arm too, almost to the elbow. Beauregard busied herself on the other arm, this time Caleb watching closely, memorizing the process.

When she was done, Caleb looked down at his arms with a sigh of relief. The scars were gone for now, and Caleb held middle fingers up to the ceiling. “That is for you, Trent!”

Beau cocked an eyebrow. Then, with a laugh, she threw an arm around Caleb’s shoulders. “Yeah, he’s got friends now, motherfucker!”

Caleb stiffened for a moment. As long as he had been with the Mighty Nein, it always felt odd to be referred to as a friend. Especially coming from Beauregard, with whom his relationship had always been begrudging and tense.

Beau didn’t seem to notice. She hugged him tighter for a second, and then let go. “You think you’re going to be ok now? I mean, as okay as any of us can be.”

“I think I will be alright, at least for tonight,” Caleb said softly. He set his pack to the side again and settled back into his bedroll. “Thank you, Beauregard.”

“Yeah, man, don’t mention it,” Beau said. She walked back to her own bedroll and crawled in, staring at the ceiling for a few minutes. “Good night, Caleb,” she called into the darkness.

She didn’t hear an answer. Or a verbal answer, at least. She did hear soft snoring, though, and that was answer enough.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first cr fic, i took "be the change you wish to see in the world" and applied it to gen fic and the empire kids. find me on twitter @okiedokiecrisco and don't be afraid to send requests!


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